Weight-adjusted underwater toy

ABSTRACT

A weight-adjusted underwater toy is disclosed having a somewhat lower specific gravity than water, and having its center of gravity located below and somewhat behind the volumetric center of the toy. The toy has a streamlined shape, like a fish, a sea animal, a swimmer, or a submarine. The model will follow a long glide curve similar to an approximately upside down ballistic path when flung into the water, and will always rotate into a position with its back up and its abdomen down. When rising, the location of the center of gravity will provide an inclined forward/upward position for the model, and horizontal side wings (fins or other details) will prevent a purely vertical rising movement by providing a forwardly directed momentum during a buoyancy movement. The weight adjustment takes place either by forming the model from a material which is heavier than water and is divided in two parts along a horizontal center section with an excavation in the top part in front of the center of the section surface, in such a manner that when joining the parts together, a sealed air pocket is formed, or by forming the model from a material which is lighter than water and has a heavier weight imbedded below and somewhat behind its volumetric center.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a toy with an elongate, stream-lined shape,preferably fish or sea animal models for use in the sea, in a bathtub orin a swimming pool. The models are shaped and weight-adjusted withregard to providing a long glide curve underwater when flung down belowthe surface. The models are unmotorized and thus suitable for activeplay and for playing together. The center of gravity is in a lowposition, so that the models will find a correct swimming position inthe water.

The ordinary unmotorized water toys in the form of models of fish andsea animals are unsuited to be flung and achieve a long movement path inwater. Some of them will sink immediately. Others are light and notsuited to do much more than floating on the surface.

There has also been manufactured weight-adjusted toy models of interalia submarines with various devices, most often a motorized propulsiondevice, providing an automatic underwater movement for these toy models.Because the propulsion of the toy models is more or less independent ofthe active participation of the users, it will often turn out that thesetoys after some time will provide less motivation for active play.

GB 2,084,032 discloses an invention consisting of fish models in atransparent water container. The floating position of the models isdetermined by means of a weight in the abdomen and an air chamberthereabove. The specific weight is somewhat larger than water, howeverthe models are prevented from sinking to the bottom by a magnet in themodel abdomen, which is repelled by a magnet plate in the containerbottom. The models are set in motion by a motor-operated pump whichcreates a changing water pressure inside the container.

The pressure variations create a movement in an elastic air chamber inthe model body, which via a mechanical connection causes propulsivewagging of the model's tail. Because this invention presupposes acontainer with an attached pump, it cannot be used for free and activeplay outdoors.

GB 1,337,034 shows a toy shaped like a fish having elastic skin. Aweight in the model abdomen provides a low center of gravity and acorrect floating position. Propulsion is created by a motor inside thehead of the fish model, which motor puts a built-in, wave-shaped rodinto rotation around the axis of the wave-rod in the longitudinaldirection of the model, in such a manner that it is rendered a"serpentine wriggling" movement.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,580,227 shows a previously known invention concerningcreating attention for advertisement printed on models of fish,submarines or other objects which are submerged in a transparentcontainer filled with a liquid. The specific weight of the models isadapted to keep them floating at a desired depth level in a given, clearliquid. A correct floating position is secured by means of a weight onthe underside and an air compartment on the top to provide a low centerof gravity for the model. Propulsion for the model can be provided bybringing an upward directed flow, possibly air bubbles, into thecontainer from below. The vertically directed stream will engageinclined grooves or corrugations in the side surfaces of the model andthus cause a forwardly directed momentum. However, if used as a toy,this model will be unsuitable for active play in the sea, in a bathtubor in a swimming pool. The inclined grooves will, if the model is flunginto the water, at first create a brief downward movement. If the toyexhibits buoyancy, the grooves will thereafter provide a momentum in therearward direction.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,471,885 shows an unmotorized water toy where the mainpoint is that models of e.g. fish or submarines are provided with aspecific gravity similar to the specific gravity of water in order tostay afloat at a given depth. This can be achieved by manufacturing themodel from a material which is lighter than water, however with aweight-adjusted heavier lower part, which will also ensure a correctfloating position. An exact adaptation of the specific gravity of themodel can also be made if the elastic skin of the model is filled with amaterial which will draw more or less water when squeezed together andthereafter released. From a stable depth level the model can possibly berendered a rising movement by providing vertical water streams or airbubbles from below. However, when using this model, one will miss thepossibility of user contribution to a natural, forward movement. Eventhough the model can be pushed somewhat in a forward direction, itsshape and center of gravity are not adapted with consideration to a longglide curve in the water.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a weight-adjusted underwater toy havinga somewhat lower specific gravity than water, and having its center ofgravity located below and somewhat behind the volumetric center of thetoy. The toy has a streamlined shape, like a fish, a sea animal, aswimmer, or a submarine. The model will follow a long glide curvesimilar to an approximately upside down ballistic path when flung intothe water, and will always rotate into a position with its back up andits abdomen down. When rising, the location of the center of gravitywill provide an inclined forward/upward position for the model, andhorizontal side wings (fins or other details) will prevent a purelyvertical rising movement by providing a forwardly directed momentumduring a buoyancy movement. The weight adjustment takes place either byforming the model from a material which is heavier than water and isdivided in two parts along a horizontal center section with anexcavation in the top part in front of the center of the sectionsurface, in such a manner that when joining the parts together, a sealedair pocket is formed, or by forming the model from a material which islighter than water and has heavier weight imbedded below and somewhatbehind its volumetric center.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the long glide curve the model will follow when flunginto the water, similar to an approximately upside down ballistic path.

FIG. 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention inwhich the model is formed from a material which is heavier than waterand is divided in two parts along a horizontal center section.

FIG. 3 illustrates the completed embodiment of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates the model as it would float in the water at astandstill.

FIGS. 5a-5f illustrate various embodiments of the streamlined shape ofthe model, including a shark (FIG. 5a), a dolphin (FIG. 5b), a crocodile(FIG. 5c), a seal (FIG. 5d), a diver/swimmer (FIG. 5e), or a submarine(FIG. 5f).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Compared to the above mentioned, previously known toy and water models,the present invention will exhibit the following advantages: The modelsare independent of special water containers for their operation. Themotion and the glide curve under water are influenced by the childitself, and they are independent of a motorized propulsion. The modelshave such shape and weight-adjustment that they--when flung with theirnose first down into the water--will at first follow an elongate, curvedglide line downward and forward. At the lowest point of the glide linethe model shape, specific gravity and location of gravity center willcause forward motion to continue further with inclination forward/upward(FIG. 1). This is caused by a combination of the following features:

The specific gravity of the model is a little lower than the specificgravity of water (about 0,9 g/cm³), so that the model will, even with alow start velocity, go far down and forward in the water, at the sametime as it has the buoyancy to continue.

The center of gravity is located in a low position and somewhat to therear of the volumetric center of the model. Hence the model will, evenif flung with its back pointing downward, swiftly rotate to a correctswimming position, and when the propulsion energy from the throw hasbeen spent, the model will, due to the gravity center location, turn itsfront slanted upward/forward.

In the rising movement the side fins placed along the longitudinal axisof the model, will counteract a vertical rising movement, since theyprovide a forward directed momentum to influence the buoyancy movement.

This particular combination of characteristics can be achieved inaccordance with the invention in two ways, as shown in the drawing:

Either by manufacturing the model from a material which is heavier thanwater and which is cast in a top part and a lower part (FIG. 2), wherethere is an excavation in the section surface of the top part (a)somewhat in front of the volumetric center of the joined model (section,FIG. 3), in such a manner that the center of gravity is located low andbehind the center, and the total specific gravity is lower than thespecific gravity of water,

or by using a material which is lighter than water, with an imbedded,heavier weight located behind and below the volumetric center of themodel.

When at a standstill the model will be floating low in the water, withits front somewhat higher up than the rear end (FIG. 4).

The shape of the model is elongate and with a streamlined shape toprovide low resistance during a glide in the water, e.g. a shape like ashark (FIG. 5a), a dolphin (FIG. 5b), a crocodile (FIG. 5c), a seal(FIG. 5d), a diver/swimmer (FIG. 5e) or a submarine (FIG. 5f) and withside fins or other details like flippers, feet, hand palms, along theside surfaces of the model.

It is claimed:
 1. A weight-adjusted underwater toy comprising anelongate body having a well defined forward-rearward sense and atop-bottom sense and being adapted to provide a flight or glide movementin water when flung or thrown into the water, or when released from asubmerged state, said body having a lower specific gravity than water,so that buoyancy will always occur in water; andwherein the elongatedbody has its center of gravity located in a fixed position below andbehind its volumetric center; said body has a streamlined shape with awell defined forward movement direction shaped extremities; and saidbody is formed from a material having a higher density than water, andhas at least one sealed air pocket whereby the specific gravity of thebody together with the air pocket is less than that of water. 2.Underwater toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein said body is joinedtogether from two parts (2), divided along a horizontal center planewhen said body lies in a normal position, where the top part has anexcavation in and above said center plane and somewhat in front of thevolumetric center (2a) of the complete, joined body, to provide said airpocket (3) when the joining together has been established.
 3. Underwatertoy in accordance with claim 2, wherein said body is equipped withsubstantially horizontal wing members located along the sides of saidbody and having the form of fins, flippers, paws, hand palms or foils,placed along the side surfaces of said body to strengthen forward motionduring a buoyancy movement (5).
 4. Underwater toy in accordance withclaim 1, wherein said body is equipped with substantially horizontalwing members located along the sides of said body and having the form offins, flippers, paws, hand palms or foils, placed along the sidesurfaces of said body to strengthen forward motion during a buoyancymovement (5).
 5. A weight-adjusted underwater toy comprising an elongatebody having a well defined forward-rearward sense and a top-bottom senseand being adapted to provide a flight or glide movement in water whenflung or thrown into the water, or when released from a submerged state,said body having a lower specific gravity than water, so that buoyancywill always occur in water,wherein the elongated body has its center ofgravity located in a fixed position below and behind its volumetriccenter, said body has a streamlined shape with well defined forwardmovement direction shaped extremities, and wherein the body is shapedsubstantially from a material having a lower density than water, and hasan imbedded weight member with a substantially higher density thanwater.
 6. Underwater toy in accordance with claim 5, wherein said weightmember is located behind and below the volumetric center of said body.7. Underwater toy in accordance with claim 6, wherein said body isequipped with substantially horizontal wing members located along thesides of said body and having the form of fins, flippers, paws, handpalms or foils, placed along the side surfaces of said body tostrengthen forward motion during a buoyancy movement (5).
 8. Underwatertoy in accordance with claim 5, wherein said body is equipped withsubstantially horizontal wing members located along the sides of saidbody and having the form of fins, flippers, paws, hand palms or foils,placed along the side surfaces of said body to strengthen forward motionduring a buoyancy movement (5).
 9. A weight-adjusted underwater toycomprising an elongate body having a well defined forward-rearward senseand a top-bottom sense and being adapted to provide a flight or glidemovement in water when flung or thrown into the water, or when releasedfrom a submerged state, said body having a lower specific gravity thanwater, so that buoyancy will always occur in water,wherein the elongatedbody has its center of gravity located in a fixed position below andbehind its volumetric center, said body has a streamlined shape withwell defined forward movement direction shaped extremities, and whereinthe well defined forward movement direction shaped extremities comprisesubstantially horizontal members located along the sides of said bodyand having the form of fins, flippers, paws, hand palms or foils, placedalong the side surfaces of said body to facilitate forward motion of thetoy during a buoyancy movement.